Probability of better defenders on loan market for Celtic

After a flurry of transfer activity, it was reassuring to hear Brendan Rodgers say “We will look to do more business, January is important for us.” We have brought in players who will help us with domestic and European challenges this season, but the strategic objective of arriving at the Champions League qualifiers with strong central defensive choices remains.

While the manager is in Dubai, Celtic scouts are busy on this task. The previous two transfer windows saw Marvin Compper and Jack Hendry arrive on permanent contracts but fail to impress. Getting players in is not the problem, but signing players capable of competing in Champions League qualification games is another matter.

Our most reliable method of recruiting central defenders in recent seasons has been loans from English Premier League teams’ younger ranks. We have a reputation there for improving defenders, adding value for Manchester City and Leicester. It would be better to add value to our own playing assets, but squads can have both strategically consistent players (Vakoun Issouf Bayo) and short-term patches (Filip Benkovic).

Would we get a better player through this method than buying on the open market? Probably.

Sad news about Andy Murray indeed. And no doubt the sheer effort he put into becoming World No. 1 has contributed to the problem with his hip. I am afraid that the first round at the Open will be his last round as a Professional tennis player. Closer to home alarm bells are ringing that our very own Kieran Tierney, ten years Andy’s junior is facing a similar fate, with a similar problem, and for similar reasons. Hopefully I am way off the mark there, but the possibility of facing hip surgery at such an early stage in a sporting career does not inspire confidence.

Nicky Campbell show on 5Live this morning talking about Andy Murray and tributes flooding in. One caller says he couldn’t believe some of the stick the Bold Andy was getting on social media. Campbell couldn’t believe it so he went on #AndyMurray to read out the first 10 messages. First four full of praise and warmth. 5th one- rankers supporters hating Andy Murray for supporting Hibs and lording it over thems ( cup final, I presume).

A hip injury retires more tennis players than any other.KT has played too many games in last couple of years, as well as being targeted by the SPFL hammer throwers.It is a worry, if he nerds an operation and complete rest,do it now

You and me both DD. Thing is Kieran was on the bench at Ayebroke only a couple of weeks back, and yet now we are talking about him facing surgery, some mixed messages being sent out there. Hope all will be well in both the short and long term.

Another contributor on the radio suggested if Andy Murray had his hip operation a couple of years ago it might have led to a more positive outcome. So if KT does have a similar problem then time is on his side. Pure speculation anyway as we have no idea how bad Kieran’s injury is.

Read quotes from Murray to the effect that he is seriously looking at an operation basically to give him a better quality of life (he said sometimes he struggles to put on his socks and shoes at the moment) – but that he knows after this op some professional athletes have returned to top level sport. I’d say that would be fairly frowned upon if he took that route, particularly for a guy the wrong side of 30, but lets hope KT’s injury is nowhere near as debilitating,

if I was manager I would assume we have lost KT for season And LG for good. If they come back its a bonus. so no excuses not to get replacements in. We need an experienced CF and atwo top full backs not effin prospects. We need to win every game this season for they will ! if you have seen decisions they get in every game.. not jyust offsides ect but fouls givenb to them when they lose ball or more importantly fouls not given and cards not given.. They would get 2 men sent off each game with a neutral ref

and don’t let Hendry go until we have signed 2 CHs and not squad players. I would keep lewis morgan too. but if he goes then do not send him to hibs. Do not help them. St Mirren would take him back for a few months

Absolutely scunnered at KT injury, a result of weekly assaults that 90% of the time go unpunished. He’s not the only victim of this thuggery, several of our players have been crocked this season alone by perpetrators who commit the offences because they know there’s a good chance they will escape penalty (at the time). Edouard and Broony have missed games because of this, the guilty parties are allowed to complete the game against us and are (occasionally) brought to book and serve bans against our competitors. Dolly Mendez?

The statement last week was welcome but long overdue. ( does anyone think the sfa will grant Celtic their request?) Brendan has been brilliant but is far too diplomatic about calling out the assaults and plain wrong disciplinary decisions.

McGregors kick, Naismith’s assaults, Boyatta’s red card and many more. Sevco have been pressuring the refs and the sfa since the opening game and seem to be getting their way. How many sevco games has Collum refereed since they brought the game into disrepute?. We have been far too passive and the sfa/ refs have cottoned on to this. The frequency and brazenness of these calls is increasing every game. We are miles ahead of every team in the country including sevco but we are sleepwalking into a situation whereby their challenge becomes relevant enough to threaten stealing our champions league place AGAIN. Sevco are gash and don’t even deserve to be in second place but if left unchecked the decisions will become even more outrageous. We know this because we’ve been here before.

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